MORNING NEWS UPDATE: DECEMBER 11, 2025
- U.S. Seizes Sanctioned Oil Tanker Off Venezuela Coast: President Trump announced the seizure of a large oil tanker used to transport sanctioned oil from Venezuela and Iran, escalating tensions with the Maduro regime. The operation, conducted by the U.S. Coast Guard, marks a rare use of military force against a merchant vessel and has pushed oil prices higher.
- Judge Blocks Trump's National Guard Deployment in Los Angeles: A federal judge ruled against the Trump administration's deployment of National Guard troops to Los Angeles, ordering control returned to California. The decision rebukes the use of troops for non-emergency purposes and follows a series of legal setbacks for similar federal actions.
- Powerball Jackpot Hits $1 Billion: No winner in the latest drawing has ballooned the prize to $1 billion, the second such jackpot this year and the seventh largest in Powerball history. The next draw is Saturday, drawing massive public interest amid economic uncertainty.
- NTSB Hearing on Deadly Potomac River Collision: A three-day investigation into the January mid-air crash between an American Airlines jet and a Black Hawk helicopter, killing 67, highlights safety lapses. The board criticized a defense bill rolling back post-crash reforms.
Controversy Over Immigration Enforcement: Minneapolis city leaders and the Governor of Minnesota are criticizing ICE for allegedly detaining a Somali American citizen and others in recent operations, raising concerns about civil liberties and trust between communities and federal authorities.
NDAA Sent to Senate: The U.S. House passed the $900 billion National Defense Authorization Act (NDAA) which includes a pay boost for service members and aid to Ukraine, while also cutting spending on climate change and Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI) initiatives.
Cancer Registry Policy Change: New Trump administration rules are set to require U.S. cancer registries that receive federal funding to classify patients' sex as only male, female, or not stated/unknown, effectively "erasing" trans patients from public health data in 2026.
Time Magazine Person of the Year: Time magazine named the "Architects of AI" as its Person of the Year for 2025, citing the moment the potential of artificial intelligence "roared into view."
- Federal Judge Rules Trump's D.C. Military Deployment Unlawful: A judge declared the National Guard deployment to Washington, D.C., for "crime deterrence" illegal, though enforcement is delayed until December 11 for appeal. The ruling questions presidential authority over district troops.
- Trump Signs Deal Ending Longest Government Shutdown: Legislation ends the 43-day shutdown—the longest in U.S. history—restoring food aid, federal pay, and air traffic control. Democrats opposed it for lacking healthcare subsidies, but it passed with Republican support.
- Supreme Court Allows Texas GOP-Favoring Redistricting Map: The court greenlit Texas' new congressional map for 2026 elections, boosting Republican seats. The decision impacts primaries starting in March and advances Trump's House majority strategy.
- Epstein Files Release Authorized by Congress: Overwhelming bipartisan vote mandates full disclosure under the Epstein Transparency Act; Trump signed it, amid ongoing scrutiny of high-profile connections.
Federal Reserve Interest Rate Cut: The Federal Reserve lowered the interest rate paid on reserve balances to 3.65% and set the federal funds rate target range to 3-1/2 to 3-3/4 percent, an action described as a "risk management cut" due to a slowing job market.
Geopolitics of Tariffs and Trade: A new report highlights how the international trade landscape in 2025 was redefined by U.S. tariffs and tariff deals, with countries increasingly required to align with U.S. national security interests to secure trade terms, creating a "moat" around the West.
Congressional Activity: The U.S. Senate is preparing for its floor session, following a series of roll call votes from the previous day on various resolutions.
U.S. Ambassador to Turkey: The U.S. Ambassador to Ankara suggests that President Donald Trump is moving closer to resolving Turkey's F-35 ban.
- U.S.-Russia Ukraine Negotiations Advance: Foreign Minister Lavrov stated all misunderstandings in U.S.-Russia talks on Ukraine are resolved, calling Russia's 2021 security proposals a "last chance" for European stability. Zelenskyy agreed on reconstruction points with U.S. officials.
- Aid Shortfalls in Gaza Amid Ceasefire Violations: Deliveries fall far below 600 trucks/day target under the U.S.-brokered ceasefire, per AP analysis. Israeli strikes continue, killing dozens; UN endorses Trump's stabilization force plan.
- Danish Intelligence Labels U.S. a Security Risk: The DDIS report highlights U.S. economic coercion and military threats—even against allies—like Greenland interests, as a growing threat to European security.
- Ebola Outbreak Ends in DR Congo: The August outbreak, with 53 cases and 43 deaths, is declared over. Meanwhile, over 400 civilians killed in eastern Congo fighting despite a peace deal.
Advancing International Humanitarian Law (IHL): Jordan and the ICRC convened a high-level regional conference at the Dead Sea to galvanize political commitment to IHL, noting that widespread human suffering in conflicts like Gaza, Sudan, Myanmar, and Ukraine is testing global capacity and stability.
New Sanctions Framework for Haiti: The Australian government has established new sanctions regulations related to Haiti, implementing UN Security Council sanctions aimed at undermining gang violence and criminal activities.
Escalation in Yemen: Escalation in Yemen is threatening to reignite the country's civil war and create wider tensions in the Gulf region.
Congo Conflict: Rwanda-backed M23 rebels claim they have seized the strategic city of Uvira in eastern Congo.
- Trump Administration Advances Elimination of Dept. of Education: Six interagency agreements shift core functions to other agencies, fulfilling campaign promises. Congress has yet to approve FY2026 funding, creating uncertainty for schools.
- CBSE Mandates Section-Wise Answer Rules for 2026 Exams: Class 10 Science and Social Science papers require structured responses; Maharashtra CET Cell updates fees and calendar for 2026.
- Schools Closed in Multiple Indian States for Elections, Weather: Kerala halts classes for local body polls; Jammu & Kashmir starts winter break early due to cold; Telangana awaits Panchayat election notices.
- MacKenzie Scott Donates Millions to HBCUs, Climate Nonprofits: The philanthropist updated her blog with new gifts, emphasizing support for underserved education and environmental causes.
Federal Staff Recalled for Civil Rights Cases: The U.S. Department of Education is recalling hundreds of staffers who handle civil rights complaints, including those for disability discrimination in schools, to tackle a massive case backlog after their jobs had been mired in litigation for most of the year.
Tribute to Former Education Secretary: Rod Paige, the nation's first African American to serve as Secretary of Education, has died at the age of 92.
University Athletics Revenue: The University of Utah is looking to boost its athletic revenue through a private-equity partnership.
- Fed Cuts Rates by Quarter-Point, Projects One More in 2026: The third cut of 2025 sets the federal funds rate at 3.5%-3.75%; projections show higher inflation and slower growth due to tariffs and immigration curbs.
- Central Banks Shift Toward Holds or Hikes: ECB, BoE, and SNB pause easing; markets bet on ECB hike by late 2026 amid sticky inflation. Fed remains outlier with potential further cuts.
- Services Inflation Accelerates in Eurozone: Up 3.5% year-over-year—the highest since April—despite monthly dip; pressures from shutdowns and tariffs complicate ECB's December 18 decision.
- Beige Book: U.S. Activity Little Changed, Spending Down: Consumer spending flat, employment edges lower; home sales rebound but EV sales slump post-tax credit expiration.
Fed Rate Cut Impact: Following the Federal Reserve's interest rate cut, the Nasdaq fell premarket as concerns about the AI trade (exacerbated by Oracle's earnings miss) seemed to overshadow the market boost from the rate decision.
International Trade Deficit Narrows: The U.S. goods and services deficit in September was $52.8 billion, down $6.4 billion from August, driven by a larger increase in exports than imports.
Corporate Spending Concerns: Oxford Industries cut its full-year guidance as customers are reportedly pulling back on spending, causing the stock to slide.
IMF Urges China Action: The International Monetary Fund (IMF) is urging China to address its economic imbalances as its trade surplus hits $1 trillion.
- Microsoft's Final 2025 Windows 11 Update Rolls Out: KB5040442 adds File Explorer tweaks, Bluetooth headphone sharing, and mobile integration; fixes bugs like unintended restarts.
- AWS re:Invent Highlights AI Agents, Nova Forge Service: CEO Garman emphasized AI's enterprise value; new tool lets users fine-tune models with proprietary data. Graviton5 CPU unveiled for efficiency.
- AI Boom Differs from Dot-Com Era: Unlike 1990s' slow adoption, businesses eagerly integrate AI; valuations high but infrastructure (e.g., broadband) already exists, reducing crash risks.
- Synopsys Beats Revenue on Chip Design Demand: Strong AI-driven tool sales; Reddit tests verified profiles for transparency; Google appoints AI infrastructure chief.
AI Use in Europe Surges: A report indicates that 20.0% of EU enterprises now use Artificial Intelligence (AI) technologies, a 6.5 percentage point increase from 2024, with the most common uses being analyzing written language and generating content.
Wearable Blood Pressure Devices: The American Heart Association issued a statement noting that cuffless devices (like smartwatches, rings, etc.) show promise for measuring blood pressure but are not yet proven accurate enough to diagnose high blood pressure or guide treatment.
Cybersecurity Threats: Daily cyber headlines note a rise in multi-platform ransomware written in Rust, and that threat actors are reportedly weaponizing ChatGPT and Grok conversations to deploy malware.
- CDC Alters Hepatitis B Vaccine Schedule Amid Concerns: Advisory panel votes to shift childhood dosing; experts worry it disrupts decades of evidence-based protection against liver disease.
- TMA Metabolite Shows Promise Against Inflammation: Gut microbe-derived TMA blocks IRAK4 protein, improving insulin sensitivity and sepsis outcomes in high-fat diet models.
- Ultra-Processed Foods Linked to 12 Health Risks: Large review ties consumption to heart disease, diabetes, and mental health issues; polyphenol-rich diets (e.g., berries, nuts) boost heart health.
- Long COVID Care Clinics Close in North Carolina: Patients struggle as funding dries up; new study shows iron overload persists in sickle cell patients despite guidelines.
ACA Criticism Resurfaces: The debate over expiring Affordable Care Act tax credits is allowing critics to resurface arguments blaming the ACA for mergers and consolidation within the healthcare industry.
Anti-Vaccine Group Petitions FDA: An anti-vaccine group founded by RFK Jr. filed a citizen's petition asking the FDA to deem Moderna's and Pfizer's COVID-19 vaccines "misbranded" and to revoke their licenses, while the FDA is also investigating adult deaths possibly linked to the vaccine.
Aging Identity: A story reports that many older Americans are shunning the "elderly" identity, which could prevent them from receiving helpful accommodations, improved care, and community.
- England's Lionesses Win Euro 2025 on Penalties: Chloe Kelly's winner and Hannah Hampton's saves secure final vs. Spain; both shortlisted for BBC Sports Personality of the Year with Norris, McIlroy, Littler, Kildunne.
- Lando Norris Crowned F1 World Champion: Brit edges Verstappen in tight finish, 11th UK winner; McLaren teammate Piastri close behind.
- Luke Littler Completes Darts Triple Crown at 17: Youngest world champion adds Premier League and Matchplay titles, rises to No. 1.
- Philippines Adds Golds at SEA Games: Gymnast Aleah Finnegan wins vault; jiujitsu duo Custodio/Roxas shine; Filipinas advance in women's football semis.
College Basketball Results: No. 14 Dakota Wesleyan women's basketball lost a late lead to No. 1 Dordt, 86-81. The Dakota Wesleyan men's team lost its fourth straight game, also against Dordt. South Dakota State women's basketball won its fourth straight game, defeating Northern Iowa 59-57.
High School Sports Season Starts: The high school basketball and wrestling seasons are kicking off in parts of the U.S., with the Sheridan/Johnson County area in Wyoming beginning its season today.
